Connections Fund

Mission
To foster and retain leaders and professionals and promote a philanthropic identity and involvement in the Richland County community.

History

The fund was established in 2004 and was inspired by the idea of creating a “Young Leaders Fund” to encourage philanthropy from a younger donor base. Over the years, it has provided grants for community programs and projects. Historically, the grant dollars came from membership contributions and a growing endowment.

At the beginning of 2020, the committee had plans for the growth of the fund. But, like everything else, those plans were put on hold and the fund implemented a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the vision for Connections has further evolved with new ideas for expanding its philanthropic footprint in Richland County.

Connections Today

Today, the Connections Fund endeavors to look beyond opportunities for a younger donor base, rather, it wishes to inspire emerging philanthropists no matter where they might be in their journey. The Connections Fund advisory committee will continue to look at ways for community impact through grant-making and volunteer opportunities.

Following restructuring and in-depth conversations about community impact through grantmaking and volunteering, Connections announced a proactive grant focus on Youth, Mentorship, and Education.

In October 2023, Connections announced its first grantee in three years, awarded to Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio for Destination Career - Richland County.

Support Connections During Richland Gives!

Connections Fund Advisory Committee

The Connections Fund advisory committee is the guiding body for driving the mission of the fund. The function of the committee includes:

Making annual grant recommendations to the Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees
Promoting gifts to Connections through special events and community ties, and making the community aware of the Fund.
Planning annual events that help fulfill the goals of Connections.
Driving fundraising initiatives, including the annual Richland Gives campaign for the fund.